WL Novices (the "This could get very messy..." thread)

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My squad is evolving as the weeks pass on. Decided to do the Costa sbc. Now have 4 icons in the team. Hope the FFP don’t punish me. I wish I took a pic of the team I played my first WL with to compare it with now. I think only 2 players have been ever present (handanovic and Chiellini).

Going to try and enjoy this WL. Not going to let the flaws within the game (ai defending, dynamic moments etc) or my opponentent unsportsmanlike behaviours bother me.

G3 is now the minimum target. Anything above that would be a bonus.

Good luck fellows in your quest for WL glory.

Ps @EricVanDerek I have just been promoted to D5 so we are in the same playground. Also are u wanting another friendly or are u still hurting from the last one.

Good luck everyone. (assuming there are others out there still left - we seem to be dropping like flies).

I'm on another mad rush against the clock to try and fit in enough games to get to S1. The last couple of weeks I've only made S2 / S3, and picking one max 84 rated player from only two have been noticeably worse.

@crazymundo The hurt from the last one won't ever go away, but it just fuels my thirst for vengeance even more. Bring it on...

After managing Gold 3 last time (really wasn't worth the pack rewards) I'm hoping to at least get that again.
Changed from a 4231 wide to a 4222 during the week, very different but quite fun to play. Brought in IF Rashford (yay United) to partner Kane up front and 86 Lingard for more firepower. Replaced VVD (probably a stupid move) Sanchez and Valencia, with IF Sokratis, Manolas and Florenzi, as I was just a bit bored of running an all BPL team. Leaves Foster on 8 chem, but he's not that great anyway tbh.

I am playing my first WL this year (only played two last year, towards the end, when by some miracle I managed to win Div 2; got 11 wins the first time, 9 the second time and that was it).

I am 49 yo and move between div 6 and 7 in DR, have a very good team (admittedly, spent quite a lot if money) and am a very, very bad player.

Played my first 17 games today, 7 wins.

I must say that I expected to face better opponents: of the 10 games I lost I was totally trashed only in 3 of them, and may have even won at least a couple of the other 7; at the same time, a couple of my 7 wins could have easily gone the other way.

I did not know players pick is limited to 84 in S2 and S3 (is that right? I read it in this thread, never really paid attention before) - I guess I will need to try and get 11 wins, which means 4 more in 13 games ... not sure ...

Still yet to reach the points needed to qualify for WL. Going to work on the Single Match Argentiinian goal scorer challenge and see if I can get back to the top level on Rivals in Div 7 this week.

If I get the points to qualify for WL, I will see if I redeem them or not. Nearing the end of the 20 weeks I have determined to give the game a try once my extra packs that came with the purchase run out. That and real life soccer season has started for my daughter. Given that it is her senior year in HS I will be mostly focused on her. Last year before college and first year back after ACL surgery.

My son continues to enjoy the non-fut parts of the game and not remotely interested in FUT, other than opening packs. At this juncture still not planning on buying FIFA 20.

Good luck to those taking on WL this weekend for the first time or for the nth time.

First off great thread have followed for a while. Long time (awful) ut player, first year doing weekend league. Usually g3/g2 when i get the time to play more than 20 games! I just did the rivaldo sbc yesterday (first icon) n he is godly!!! 9-3 so far n he has scored 19 in in 12... i know i will still finish the same but damn hes awesome. Anyone had better luck in wl since getting an icon??

I’m 12-10 first time doing WL , only started playing fifa again 3 weeks ago, using a pretty weak team with TOTY. God that timed shooting is such a pain. Every time I take a corner I spam circle and it goes way over the bar if I manage to get my head on it and numerous other situations. All my losses have basically been by 1 goal very frustrating but I’m kind of enjoying the game more than I expected from what everyone has been saying about 19.

Decided to play my games over 6 sessions (5 games per session) and have just completed game 20. Currently sitting W10 L10. Perfect symmetry.

I vowed to enjoy this WL despite the minor/major flaws in the game but alas I couldn’t. Players behaviours I can accept. Unfortunately jerks are in ambundance in FIFA19 and no amount of moaning will change that. Some people are natural born jerks.

My biggest gripe is with this game is the way games sometimes feel pre decided. Losses I can take. I’m not the best player and can accept I will face better players. It’s when opponents (maybe there is times when I benefit) get that helping hand from EA. Example being your midfield maestro misplaces a 3 yard pass straight to Sterling. Who then manages to ride your controller shaking slide tackle, whilst your centre half at that moment decides to stop playing and tie his shoe laces. Sterling weak shot somehow ricochets off 4 different body parts of the goalkeeper and the ball rolls into the net. A last minute winner. Is this story faintly familiar with anyone out there

Sorry for the rant. Just had to get it off my chest. Phewww.....feel better already. Thanks for listening (reading).....I knew u would understand.

Anyhoo.....got 2 sessions left tomorrow. Previous WL experience has been Sunday gaming feels a bit easier....especially in the evening when players are rushing through games.

Stay strong novices.....

@Cphilly13
Icon are game changers. Just be careful as they are highly addictive. Once u get one u will get an uncontrollable urge to get another....and another....and another.....etc..etc

Decided to play my games over 6 sessions (5 games per session) and have just completed game 20. Currently sitting W10 L10. Perfect symmetry.

I vowed to enjoy this WL despite the minor/major flaws in the game but alas I couldn’t. Players behaviours I can accept. Unfortunately jerks are in ambundance in FIFA19 and no amount of moaning will change that. Some people are natural born jerks.

My biggest gripe is with this game is the way games sometimes feel pre decided. Losses I can take. I’m not the best player and can accept I will face better players. It’s when opponents (maybe there is times when I benefit) get that helping hand from EA. Example being your midfield maestro misplaces a 3 yard pass straight to Sterling. Who then manages to ride your controller shaking slide tackle, whilst your centre half at that moment decides to stop playing and tie his shoe laces. Sterling weak shot somehow ricochets off 4 different body parts of the goalkeeper and the ball rolls into the net. A last minute winner. Is this story faintly familiar with anyone out there

Sorry for the rant. Just had to get it off my chest. Phewww.....feel better already. Thanks for listening (reading).....I knew u would understand.

Anyhoo.....got 2 sessions left tomorrow. Previous WL experience has been Sunday gaming feels a bit easier....especially in the evening when players are rushing through games.

Stay strong novices.....

@Cphilly13
Icon are game changers. Just be careful as they are highly addictive. Once u get one u will get an uncontrollable urge to get another....and another....and another.....etc..etc

@crazymundo
Haha the uncontrollable urge is quashed pretty fast by the lack of a million coins to buy another one so i may just enjoy rivaldo for now I do have my eye on berkamp/rvn if i ever have decent pack luck!!
Where do you usually finish? You will get unlucky bounces n lucky ones too over 30 games. I manually defend and use 3atb so i can empathise with what you described above but just laugh it off as much as you can! Not worth stressing about where you finish, we will all still end up with 81 red player picks anyway Good luck with the last 10 games let us know how it goes

Crazymundo aka the man with the Midas touch has an announcement to make......G2 has been achieved.....a personal best.

Started the day W10 L10.....I can now proudly say I finished W17 L13. Totally buzzing. To think all those weeks ago I was starting my WL adventure praying that my opponents would be gentle on me to now achieving a G2 finish. A combination of luck, skill, grind and sweat.

To me this game isn’t about the rewards but rather a personal journey (cheesy I know but I’m as high as a kite right now so please forgive me). From being a total WL novice (never played any prior to FIFA19) to hitting G2.

I told the wife but she wasn’t too impressed but I know u guys will understand.

All the usual nonsense from games but u learn to shrug it off. Also feel EA should nerf VVD. It appears the rules of football don’t apply to him. The behaviour he gets away with that goes unpunished is frightening. I don’t think I’ve ever had a player out run, out tackle or out jump him. I know he is arguably the best CB in the world but surely no one is faultless. It got to the point we’re i even hate him in real life because of FIFA. ( bear in mind I used to go and watch him before his Liverpool or Southampton days when he was a Celtic player).......but hey I don’t care....I’ve just hit 17 wins....

Finished G3 again. My team is slightly downgraded as I had to toss in futmas Thiago Silva and FB Alves to finally snag Ballack. Lost a game due to inactivity total bs. I elected to respond to a message as the halftime whistle blew and once I got back which was before the countdown should have ended got that dumb inactivity message. Was so pissed because it left me with no margin for error and killed my potential for G2.

Switched to a 4231 midway and my team is now very rugged in defense. Conceding even 2 goals is rare since the switch. Sturridge and Firmino continue to play extremely well for me

Almost enough points now for my second WL through Rivals thanks to a nonloss streak, but I am ready to chuck the game and anything EA publishes.

For anything you report to them in terms of player abuse, offensive team names, even cheating, they direct you to PlayStation/Sony to investigate? Yet they work the Market Bans and coin selling... mmm. Only because it eats into their bottom line for FIFA points I am guessing. Just proof to me they do not care about cleaning up the game.

Just absolutely disgusted with EA at the moment.

As much as I want to continue, but I think this game is getting deleted since Christmas break is over and my son is going back to school tomorrow. I have not decided yet, but really close to just chucking the whole thing. Had I bought the disk vice downloading it, I would be selling it for sure.

Back to the WL action after the holiday break. Had a really rough start (0-4), fought back to 3-4, then went on another losing streak to 3-7. I eventually got my 14th win after my 26th game and decided to go for Gold 2.

Game 27: won
Game 28: loss

At this point I decided to put in Loan Ronaldo to boost my chance in winning the remaining 2 games.

Game 29: I scored half way though the first half --> then 1-1 --> 2-1 --> 2-2 --> and at the end my opponent scored from a deflection at the 92nd minute and I lost 2-3...My quest for Gold 2 ended here. By the way Ronaldo missed several golden chances in this game.

Overall gaming experience in this WL is at all-time worst. There were multiple games where I was leading like 3-1 or even 4-1 before half time, but when the game wants you to lose there is nothing you can do. Lag, input delay, no response from pressing button, AI gave away penalties, you name it.

And I hate shooting penalty in this game. Even if I press the shoot button first and aim as the penalty kicker runs towards the ball, like 80% of the time my opponents could figure out which way I shoot. what the.....

As for me, it was a game of two halves (or more accurately: one two-thirds and one third...)

By late Sunday evening I'd made it to 11-9. I was playing well and my team was generally responsive (at least given the general problems of the game).

That included a game where I went ahead in the 80th minute, only to be hit by a disconnection that kicked me fully out of FIFA and awarded me a loss - even though my internet was still working.
Grrr....

Although I was tired, that still left 10 games to get the measly 3 games required to hit G3 for the time ever - surely straight-forward given how I was playing?
Bring it on!

I then proceeded to lose 5 on the trot ...
In amongst those games were two where the game went into extra time, but I was on top and pressing - and they disconnected because they could tell they were in trouble... The games didn't count, but it still felt "unfair"...

On the verge of jacking it in, I won 2 of the next three to leave me needing just one win from the last two games.

Nah, didn't happen...

So S1 yet again.
But this time it was bitterly disappointing.

That disconnection loss when I'd taken the lead could be said to be the difference. Grrr yet again...

I don't believe I choked (I've played enough top level sport and have been in enough really pressure situations to know I don't choke...). There's no doubt that tiredness played a part.

But of those final 10 games, I'd say most were me fighting against the game. There were the usual kick-off and last minute goals and a couple of come-backs when I was cruising the first half. In three games my players were bundled to the floor in the box, but nothing given (that's because - as someone said earlier - the game is now a mix between football and MMA...)

But most frustratingly, there must have been 5 games where I was clearly at a disadvantage because the oppo had a lower rated team (usually with bronze benches). My players who had been fully responsive earlier in the evening were now misplacing simple passes, missing easy chances etc. Clearances and bounces were going to the opposition more often than me, and some of the refereeing decisions were scandalous.

I guess I should take the positives that I'd got into such a good position (11-9), and so it will come in time. But for the moment I'm going into a quiet dark room to cry ...

Cheer up sunshine. That is nothing to be disappointed in and that disconnect glitch loss is probably the most painful having experienced that on myself. (Mine came after the game right before the stats shows up even... wish EA could fix that as you probably did not even get any points for Rivals either.

Nearly able to qualify or my first WL of fifa 19, is it as hard as it was last year? Not played the game much this year so haven't had a chance to qualify. How do the rewards work out etc.? And how many games on average do you need to play across the weekend for good rewards... may need to book a weekend off of going outdoors

What Div are you in? If you've played a fair bit of FIFA so far, and you're in at least Div 7, then I think you can expect to win a few games and get some rewards. I think being below Div 7 will be hard to get enough wins to make it rewarding - but still may be worth it for the experience.

You may need to work through a few losses initially, but match-making will eventually kick in and so you'll be pitted against weaker players.

The rewards are based on the number of wins you get (not like SB, which is being in the top x% of players):
- 6 wins gets you to Silver 3: 1,000 FUT Champs points, a (Red) player pick (max 84, chose one from two players)
- 11 wins gets you to Silver 1: 2,000 FUT Champs points (so enough to qualify for the following week) and one player pick (no max, chose one from three players)
- 14 wins gets you to Gold 3: two player picks

There are also packs - but I'm sure you already have enough 81 rated goalkeepers in your club...

So initially (and without knowing your ability), I'd suggest aiming for 6 wins (Silver 3) - if you're half decent you should be able to do that in about 10-15 games. That's still quite a lot of time, but it gives you a good head start towards qualifying a future WL, and you get a player pick.

As others have advised previously:
- remember it's just a game
- be prepared for it to be tough: both the opposition and the amount of "dynamic moments" that infuriate belong belief
- take regular breaks

(obviously - given my recent post - it's a case of do as I say, not as I do... )

But you'll find that playing WL will definitely improve your game.
If you do decide to play, then do come back and share how you're getting on (and the team your rocking)

The excitement of getting your first red player pick is somewhere between the birth of your first-born and the moment you hear you've won an Oscar....

I know it's sad that I let this get to me so much, but I'm a competitive soul, and to be so close to that first Gold finish and not make it......

One other factor for my incredible choking collapse could well be the fact that far less players are playing WL late on a Sunday night (UK time), so the normal parameters (players within 10 net wins of yourself) are "relaxed". Certainly a couple of the opponents were very strong.

The one exciting moment was the fact that I got to play against a different team - a Turkish league team: primarily IF and the SBC players.
The frustration was that their 81 rating seemed to have a significant impact on the game - Salah placed an easy left foot shot wide in the last minute of normal time to win it, whilst they scored first time rockets from 30 yards and yet another in ET to win it.

Hi to everybody! I hope you all had a great holiday and are ready for new feats this year.

Last in 2018 was terrible with great delay in most of matches, a lot of extra times and lingering games but in sunday I stopped at 15W in 26 and couldn't bring myself to finish 4 matches. So G3 and terrible rewards for two weeks in a raw.
First in 2019 was with good gameplay, many RQ, 17-13, spent much less time and I think only 3 opponents were much better than me and 2 games were I can not do anything against EA (weak opponents with weak squads)

Now... saved packs for TOTY (currently 40 good packs but I hope to reach 100 by friday). And good luck to all of us!

Played a couple rivals game with it today and won 2 out of 2 so feeling good with it. Just gotta play a couple more to move up a rank and add some packs for when all the TOTY are out. Wont pack anything but it's nice to dream.

The excitement of getting your first red player pick is somewhere between the birth of your first-born and the moment you hear you've won an Oscar....

Wow what a read, currently towards the top end of div 6 and hoping to reach gold 2 this week, just packed Fabinho in a prem upgrade pack so i'd say my team is nearly ready for WL, just need the last 600 wl points now however uni starts again soon so time is of the essence